Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm (LBJ State Park), Stonewall, TX

Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm

Edna Beckmann Hightower and her husband lived on the farm until they sold the property to Texas Parks and Wildlife in 1966.  The farm was restored and opened to the public as a living history farm in 1975.  Interpreters dress in period clothes (early 1900's) and work this Hill Country German homestead farm as it would have been done about 100 years ago.

 

 

Sauer Homestead

The one room home (right side) was built in 1869 and three more rooms were added (one room in back of right side and two rooms on the left section) were completed by 1881.

 The Sauer family grew to 10 children so the "dormitory" (left side) was added 1885. The Beckmann's purchased the homestead in 1900 and added the porch on the "dormitory" and the Victorian home in 1915.  The "dormitory" served as the kitchen.

 

 

The Beckmann's also added the barn in 1915.

 

 

The staff cooks lunch every day at noon for the staff and volunteers.  Fresh vegetables from the garden or home-made canned vegetables and meat that was butchered at the farm is served. 

 

Of course, there are many animals-cows, sheep, hogs, guineneas, Rhode Island Red chickens, Blue Andalusian rootsers, Rio Grande turkeys, and cats. A lamb and two bull calves were born while we were there.

 

LBJ State Park, Stonewall, TX

LBJ State Park and Historic Site is located between Fredericksburg and Johnson City.  Friends of then President Johnson raised money to purchase property directly across the Pedernales River from the LBJ Ranch. In 1965, this land was accepted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the park was opened in 1970.

LBJ Statue

 

Axis (Spots) and White Tail Deer

 

 

 

 



The cattle are part of the Official Texas State Longhorn Herd.  They are one and two years old.

 

The bison are decedents from the Texas Bison Herd in Caprock Canyon State Park.

 

 

 

LBJ Ranch, Stonewall, TX

The LBJ Ranch, located along the Pedernales River in the Texas Hill Country near Stonewall Texas, was the home of the 36th President of the Unite States, Lyndon B Johnson.  It's part of the Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park.

The security guard house and original entrance to the ranch (no longer used) on Ranch Road 1.

 

President Johnson enjoyed driving his guests through the low water crossing.

 

 

New entrance to the park off of Ranch Road 1

 

Junction School (one-room) located near his home was where four year old LBJ learned to read.

 

 

LBJ was born on August 27, 1908 at this location.  The home was reconstructed in 1964 to be used as a guest house. It was rebuilt to appear as it was in 1908.

 

The graves of LBJ (right) and Lady Bird (left) at the Johnson Family Cemetery



Information on Sam Ealy Johnson, Sr. and Eliza, grandparents of LBJ.  I couldn't get a good picture of the farmhouse.

 

Hereford cattle are still raised on the ranch. 

 

  The weights on the horns are used to shape the direction of the horns.

 

 Notice "LBJ" on the left horn and "104" on the right horn.

 

 

Air Force One never landed at the ranch.  LBJ would fly to Austin and take this plane (he called it Air Force 1/2) to the ranch.

 

This original century-old rock farmhouse (LBJ purchased from his Aunt Frank Martin in 1951) was greatly enlarged over the years.  During the Johnson Presidency it became known as the Texas White House.  LBJ returned to the ranch after his Presidency ended and he died here on July 22, 1973.  Lady Bird called this home until her death in 2007.  Tours can be taken of the 1st floor but no pictures are allowed inside the house.

 

 

Trinity Lutheran Church, Stonewall, TX

Trinity Lutheran Church is a historic church built in 1904.  It still serves as a Lutheran Church for the people of the Stonewall area.